Unit 5

What term refers to the theory that there are too many people using a commodity, otherwise known as a commons?

What term refers to the de-rooting and deforesting of trees in a given area?

Why is clearcutting bad?

What term refers to the areas in which the same tree species is planted and grown?

Why are Tree Plantations bad?

Why are forests beneficial?

What are the consequences of deforestation?

What method of deforestation involves the clearing and burning of trees, which releases GHGs?

What term refers to the period in which we shifted from smaller, family-operated farms to industrial-scale agribusiness? (increased mechanization, GMOs, irrigation, fertilizers, and pesticides at the cost of biodiversity loss, soil erosion, and water contamination)

What term refers to the increased use of tractors for plowing and tilling fields, which increases reliance on fossil fuels and compacts the soil, decreasing its water holding capacity?

What do GMOs stand for?

What organisms, mostly crops, are genetically modified for drought tolerance, pest resistance, larger harvest, or faster growth? (lowers genetic diversity and increases susceptibility to disease and pests)

What type of fertilizer is made using man-made ammonium, nitrate, or phosphate? (increases yield and profits, but leads to algal blooms and increased use of fossil fuels)

What term refers to the method in which water is drawn from the ground or nearby surface waters to distribute it on fields to increase plant growth? (makes agriculture more accessible, but depletes aquifers and can cause soil salinization)

What term refers to the chemicals farmers use to kill weeds or other pests through a spray? (can harm non-target species or wash off crops in runoff)

What term refers to the act of growing a single species of crop on a given piece of land, which is highly efficient for harvest, pesticide, and fertilizer application? (decreases biodiversity, increases soil erosion, and decreases habitat diversity) (Tree Plantations is an example of this)

What term refers to the mixing and breaking up of soil to make planting easier, at the risk of increased topsoil erosion and loss of organic matter?

Does the Slash and Burn method return nutrients to plants and the soil?

What term refers to the carrying of excess nutrients by water into groundwater or surface water through runoff?

What type of irrigation involves digging trenches along crop lines with water? (Only 2/3 effective, easy and ineffective)

What type of irrigation allows for water to drip out of small holes of hoses? (Over 95% effective, but more costly)

What type of irrigation allows for the flooding of the entire area? (Chance of waterlogging soil and drowning plants, 80% effective)

What type of irrigation involves the spraying of ground or surface water? (More expensive, but more efficient)

What term refers to the overwatering of plants, filling soil pore space with water, often stunting plant growth or killing the plant entirely? (Can be solved with drip irrigation)

What term refers to the poking of holes in the soil to allow air in and so water can drain through the soil?

What term refers to the process of salt building up in the soil over time? (Can dehydrate plants and prevent their growth)

What term refers to the water stored in pore space of permeable rock and sediment layers?

What term refers to the usable groundwater deposits for humans?

What term refers to the percolation/collection of rain water through the soil into aquifers?

What term refers to the excessive pumping near coast lines, lowering water table pressure, allowing seawater to seep into aquifers?

What term refers to the formation that is formed when the water table is lowered by excessive pumping, which depletes water and dries up nearby wells?

What chemicals are toxic to pests? (Rodenticides for rodents, Fungicides for fungi, Insecticides for insects, and Herbicides for plants; Can cause pests to become resistant from overuse due to genetic biodiversity)

What acronym refers to the densely crowmed method in which animals are repeatedly fed to fatten them up and raise them as quick as possible? (also known as feedlots; maximize land use, profits, minimizes meat cost, but produces large amounts of GHGs)

What term refers to the large, open storage pits for manure?

What term refers to the ability for animals (mainly cows) to graze on grass and grow at a natural rate without hormone usage? (Requires more land use)

What term refers to too much grazing, leading to compact soil and erosion?

What term refers to the occurrance in which plants are killed by overgrazing and soil is compacted so much that it cannot hold water?

What method of grazing can prevent overgrazing by periodically moving animals?

What term refers to the populations of fish that are used for commercial fishing?

What event happens when overfishing causes 90% of the fishery population declines?

What especially harmful fishing method involves dragging a large net along the ocean floor?

What term refers to non-target species of fishing? (Dolphins, whales, turtles)

Depletion of smaller fish populations limits what?

What term refers to the known amount of a resource left that can be mined?

What term refers to leftover waste material that is separated from valuable metals or minerals within ore?

What term refers to the removal of overburden (soil and vegetation above ore deposits) to access ore near surface?

What term refers to the leaking of rainwater into abandoned mine tunnels, mixing pyrite, and forming sulfuric acid?

How is land restored after its been mined through?

What term refers to the removal of vegetation to convert natural landscape into city landscape? (replaces soil with asphalt and concrete; prevents groundwater recharge)

What term refers to the trend of population movement from dense, urban centers to less denser suburban areas that surround the city?

What term refers to the measure of how much a personroup consumes, expressed in area of land? (factors such as food production, housing, or energy production taken into account)

What is ecological footprint measured in?

What is carbon footprint measured in?

Affluence, meat consumption, and fossil fuel usage all increase what?

What factors decrease your ecological footprint?

What term refers to the consumption of a resource in a way that doesn’t deplete it for future generations?

What refers to the maximum amount of a renewable resource that can be used without depleting the resource for future use? (1/2 carrying capacity)

What term refers to the factors that help us determine the health of the environment to guide us towards sustainability?

What indicator indicates the health of the environment from the species?

What indicator indicates the ability of the Earth’s soil, water, and climate to support agriculture?

Decreased infiltration and the carrying of pollutants into storm drains by rainwater are consequences of what?

What solution to urban runoff involves special design to allow storm water to infiltrate and recharge ground water? (Decreases runoff, but more costly than regular pavement)

What solution to urban runoff creates a habitat for pollinators and a place to store carbon dioxide?

What tactic involves using a variety of pest control methods that minimize environmental disruption and pesticide use? (Intercropping, Crop Rotation)

What term refers to the introduction of a natural predator or parasite to control the pest?

What term refers to the planting of different crops each season to prevent pests from establishing and disrupting? (Disturbs weed growth)

What term refers to a system in which some plants emit repelling chemicals while others attract moths (natural pest predators)?

Reducing non-target species death, reducing effects on human consumers, and reducing surface and groundwater contamination are all examples of:

What is one drawback of IPM?

What term refers to the agricultural techniques that minimize erosion?

What method of plowing involves plowing parallel to natural slopes to prevent water runoff and soil erosion, conserving water?

What types of year-round crops help with the prevention of bare soil

What method involves using trees to block the wind’s force from eroding the topsoil?

Does crop rotation allow for soil to recover its nutrients?

What term refers to leftover plant matter from a cover crop? (Breaks down on field and releases nutrients into soil)

What types of crops are planted in the offseason? (they stabilize soil)

What releases calcium carbonate, which neutralizes acidic soil?

What term refers to the regular rotation of livestock to different pastures to prevent overgrazing? (promotes pasture growth)

What term refers to the raising of fish or other aquatic species in underwater cages/enclosures? (Uses small amount of water or space, reduces risk of fishery collapse, doesn’t take up land space)

What are the drawbacks of aquaculture?

What term refers to forestry (using trees for lumber) that minimizes damage to the ecosystem?

What term refers to the selective cutting of older or bigger trees to preserve biodiversity and topsoil?

What term refers to the usage of recycled wood for mulch?

What term refers to the replanting of trees in areas that have been deforested?

What term refers to the practice of putting out all natural forest fires as soon as they start?